Bambanani Mbane Apologises for Social Media Rant During Banyana Banyana WAFCON Campaign
- Banyana Banyana defender Bambanani Mbane issued a public apology after a social media video drew widespread criticism from football fans
- SAFA released a formal statement distancing itself from Mbane's remarks and confirmed the matter would be reviewed internally
- South Africans flooded social media with divided reactions, with some questioning whether the apology was genuine
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Banyana Banyana defender Bambanani Mbane has issued a public apology after a social media video in which she used strong language sparked an outcry among football supporters during South Africa's Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign.
Source: Getty Images
The video circulated widely online, drawing swift criticism and prompting a formal response from football's governing body before Mbane addressed the matter herself.
SAFA distances itself from Mbane's remarks
The South African Football Association (SAFA) released a statement on 31 July 2026, expressing concern over the incident. The association apologised to supporters and stakeholders and confirmed that the matter would be handled through an internal review process. SAFA also called on fans to remain focused on supporting the national women's team ahead of their WAFCON fixture against Ivory Coast, a match that ended in a 2-2 draw.
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Mbane issues apology on social media
On 1 August 2026, Mbane posted a video apology in which she expressed regret over her choice of words. She apologised directly to her teammates, SAFA, and South African supporters, acknowledging that her remarks had been inappropriate. The apology attracted over 1.2 million views on X.
Watch the video below.
The response from the public was far from unanimous. While some accepted her apology, many felt she had nothing to be sorry for, arguing she had simply expressed genuine frustration.
@VhoGubz wrote:
"She's a better person than me"
@Nathi661 said:
"She should not apologise. She was speaking the truth 👏"
@Mwelase_Sthe added:
"You didn't have to apologise. You were telling the truth."
@Tumsa_Eksel was more sceptical:
'It wasn't my intention ', but she intentionally said that on multiple occasions 🤣🤣🤣🤣"
@Frankleespiking shared a similar view:
"You can tell she's being forced to apologise. You can tell she meant every word she said in that live and granted, she would repeat every word! 😂"
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Source: Briefly News
